The Psychoanalysis of Sherlock Holmes - Essay Example

The Psychoanalysis of Sherlock Holmes Psychoanalysis is a method of therapy that was proposed by Freud Sigmund in the late 19th Century. This method seeks to release repressed emotions and desires of the patient of therapy thus enabling them to heal their psychological disorders e.g. depression, hysteria, etc. the patient undergoes psychoanalysis using any or a combination of these methods; free association, Freudian slips and dream interpretation. The aim of psychoanalysis is to draw the unconscious thoughts, desires and attitudes to the conscious to allow better comprehension of the mental behaviors and patterns of a person. Hence, Sherlock Holmes exhibit psychological and psychoanalytic elements and these are found in The Red-Headed League, The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, The Adventure of the Speckled Band, The Adventure of the Engineers Thumb, and The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor. According to Freud, the human personality consists of three elements; the id, the ego and the superego. The id consists of instinctual needs like hunger, thirst, sexual drive, and libido. It is primarily concerned with seeking pleasure. The ego is the aspect of personality that seeks to balance the id and the superego. It accomplishes this by satisfying the desires of the id in the most realistic and socially acceptable way through rationalization. The superego is controlled by the morality principle. It is formed by the morality of higher thought and action that the id cannot attain without the help from the ego. The ego rationalizes situations using defense mechanisms such as projection, rationalization, and repression. The personality of an individual greatly depends on the psychosexual fulfillment at every stage, i.e. anal, oral, phallic, latency and genital. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, a collection of twelve stories published in 1892 by Arthur Colan Doyle offer a platform for one to share in the world of thoughts and deeds of the fictional detective therein called Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes is a detective who is of a peculiar character. His manner of solving cases and his behaviors are unconventional from the police force and the common folk respectively. This unconventionality is the intrigue with which Holmes captures his audience and proves his brilliance to his clients and his dear friend, Dr. Wilson, who documents his adventures. In addition, he is an eccentric character and this defines his interactions with other people. In the Red Headed League, a case in which Holmes and Dr. Watson solve a possible bank robbery, Holmes displays very unusual character traits. He behaves quite oddly and almost like a child. When he was contemplating the case, he “curled himself up in his chair, with his thin knees drawn up to his hawk-like nose, and there he sat with his eyes closed and his black clay pipe thrusting out like the bill of some strange bird. I had come to the conclusion that he had dropped asleep, and indeed was nodding myself, when he suddenly sprang out of his chair with the gesture of a man who has made up his mind and put his pipe down upon the mantelpiece.” First, he smokes while he is in a state that looks like he is asleep. Second, he springs up and suggests attending a musical concert- a suggestion that is far from solving the matter at hand. His behaviors are somewhat uncoordinated, and thus, he seem like a deranged person. Seemingly, he exhibits signs of a disorder. His friend Dr. Watson says “In his singular character the dual nature alternately asserted itself, and his extreme exactness and astuteness represented, as I have often thought, the reaction against the poetic and contemplative mood which occasionally predominated in him. The swing of his nature took him from extreme languor to devouring energy;” (Doyle 32). This is the behavior of people who tend to be bipolar. They tend to swing from mania to the complete lack of interest. It is hard to know what mood they will be in. Sherlock behaves in this manner, and the Doctor says that this is a habit of his, and could also be probably a source of his unusual brilliance. At times, Holmes behaves in a childish way. For instance, on their cab ride to the bank with Dr. Watson, Mr. Jones and Mr. Merryweather, he hardly says anything. Instead, he hums the tunes that he had earlier enjoyed at the musical earlier in the day. In addition, while at the concert in the afternoon, Holmes was “wrapped in the most perfect happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers in time to the music” (Doyle 37). Yet, he does all these while contemplating a very grave matter. If he were a patient of Freud, Freud would have categorized his behavior as part of his defense mechanisms. His behaviors could easily be placed under regression. Regression is a defense mechanism where one retreats to behaving like a child would by involving themselves in play, wild imagination, and primitive pleasures. Holmes indulges himself in his greatest pleasure, music, and while at it, he contemplates the case while engaging in childlike gestures. In the Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, Holmes displays some more of his character. When Dr. Watson makes a call at his place, he finds Holmes lounging on his chair, “a pipe-rack within his reach upon the right, and a pile of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, on the angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable hard-felt hat, much the worse for wear, and cracked in several places. A lens and a forceps lying upon the seat of the chair…” (24). Holmes is a tidy man. This is a contrast to the perception that a reader would have that he would be somewhat disorganized in his mannerisms. He also likes to smoke a lot. This is evident as the smoking pipe rack is nearby. According to Freud, Holmes smoking behavior could be a sign that he is fixated at the oral stage of his psychosexual development. Holmes is also very cunning. He is a calculative man. First, he is warm towards Mr. Henry Baker and to the Curbuncle thief Mr. Ryder. This he does so that he can win their confidence. He is also cunning as he tricks the salesman, Mr. Breckinridge into a false bet so that the salesman can convey the information that he seeks without him realizing it. He rationalizes losing his bet to Dr. Watson by saying, “When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the ‘Pink ‘un’ protruding out of his pocket, you can always draw him by a bet” (Doyle 45). This statement also shows that Holmes is a very keen observer of people and his environments. Perhaps, having gotten used to winning bets, Holmes could have rationalized his loss to the salesman by making an impression that he had not intended to win the bet, but simply get the man to tell him where the geese had come from. Rationalization is a form of defense mechanism. In the Adventure of the Speckled Band, it shows that Mr. Holmes is also a very observant man. When Helen comes into the room, he observes that she could have travelled from far, and she started out quite early in the day. He says to the lady, “You have come in by train this morning, I see.” (Doyle 46). To which, she inquired if he knew her. He instead says “No, but I observe the second half of a return ticket in the palm of your left glove. You must have started early, and yet you had a good drive in a dog-cart, along heavy roads, before you reached the station.” (Doyle 46). He says he can tell she used the dogcart due to the splash of mud on the left arm of her jacket. He is always observant to his clients and their narrations. He likes to explain the conclusions of his observations to inspire confidence and maybe to gloat secretly at his observatory skills. Holmes uses the defense mechanism of projection when Helen’s stepfather, Grimesby Roylott shows up in his office just after she leaves. While Grimesby Roylott tries to intimidate him, Holmes uses witty comments to counter his advances. He tries to project his fear on the intimidating man by disregarding his furious manner and confusing Roylott on what his reaction will be. He also dismisses him in a most condescending manner. He tells Mr. Roylott, “Your conversation is most entertaining…When you go out close the door, for there is a decided draught” (Doyle 47). He also uses a rationalization to cover his fear after the man has left the room. He says, “He seems a very amiable person,” said Holmes, laughing. “I am not quite so bulky, but if he had remained I might have shown him that my grip was not much more feeble than his own.” (Doyle 47). As he spoke he picked up the steel poker and, with a sudden effort, straightened it out again.’ he also says that the abrasion with Helen’s stepfather serves to offer enthusiasm for solving the case. In the end, when Roylott dies after being bitten by a puff adder that he wanted to kill Helen, Holmes says that his manner of death, does not trouble his conscience as the snake simply turned upon its master albeit through the blows of his cane. Holmes rationalizes his situations so that his ego will not suffer. He also uses the defense mechanism of rationalization in the Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb when even though they do not get to capture the culprits he says that they have received a good tale and that the Engineer has gained experience. The Engineer asked, “I have lost my thumb and I have lost a fifty-guinea fee, and what have I gained?” “Experience,” said Holmes, laughing. “Indirectly it may be of value, you know; you have only to put it into words to gain the reputation of being excellent company for the remainder of your existence.” (Doyle 47) He also rationalizes the situation when in the Adventure of the Noble Bachelor, the Lord St. Simon fails to have dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Moulton or to congratulate his brilliance in solving the case. “Ah, Watson,” said Holmes, smiling, “perhaps you would not be very gracious either, if, after all the trouble of wooing and wedding, you found yourself deprived in an instant of wife and of fortune” (Doyle 48). He rationalizes the behavior of the Lord Simon to soothe his ego and to make excuse as to why he behaved ungraciously. Holmes makes for a very interesting subject when it comes to psychoanalysis approach and psychology. It has been identified that he most likely had a bipolar disorder, a psychological, mental illness. He also has defense mechanisms such as regression, projection and rationalization that he often uses to explain the situations in which he finds himself. He likes to take the blame off himself, and most events occur apart from him according to him. His interest in smoking and having meals so that he can think clearly could signify a fixation to the oral stage of psychosexual development. Even though he is a fictional character, Holmes could have offered great insight to Freud Sigmund had he been his patient. Works Cited Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. United Kingdom, George Newnes. 1892. Print. Read More